Environmental Safety & Detoxification

Generally speaking, most people think of infections as something that happens acutely. "I caught a cold" or "I have a stomach virus"... these are most often illnesses that have a distinct beginning and end. We are sick, and then we are better- life goes on.
In chronic infection, the pathogenic organism(s) persist- often in spite of or hidden from our immune systems- and contribute to diminishing health over time.

We all know drinking water is not only good for us, but necessary for our health. But what TYPE of water should we be drinking? Is tap water safe? What about bottled water? Should you use a filter and if so, which kind?

In recent months the safety of plastic bottles has been seriously called into question, mainly due to the presence of Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical found in plastics. Despite manufacture claims that BPA is harmless, studies indicate it might not be as safe as once thought.

Did you know that a recent consumer safety study showed that 4 out of 5 sunscreens on the market contains harmful chemicals? And that up to 70% of sunscreens contained questionable or misleading claims on the bottle? What if the very sunscreen you are putting on your body to protect yourself from cancer contains carcinogenic compounds?

Vitamin D is getting a lot of attention from the media lately, and is the new "hot" topic in medical circles. Many people are having their vitamin D levels tested and finding out they are low in this essential nutrient. But what exactly is Vitamin D and why should you care about your Vitamin D levels? How does sunscreen use contribute to being low in this important vitamin, and what can we do about it?

As naturopathic doctors, we spend a lot of time thinking about our patient's "buckets" in helping to restore health to the body. Our patients have told us they love our "Bucket Analogy" as a great way to explain an important concept in naturopathic medicine: why such seemingly small substances may make a big impact on your overall health.